title: Secondary conditions following spinal cord injury in a population-based sample.
abstract: This prospective study investigates the frequency of both medical and non-medical complications reported by the population based cohort of SCI survivors reported to the Colorado Spinal Cord Injury Early Notification System (ENS). Persons reported to the ENS between January 1 1986 and December 31 1993, representing the broad spectrum of all severities of spinal cord injury and potential complications, were solicited to participate in comprehensive follow-up interviews at their first, third and fifth year post injury. Hospitalizations of a week or longer were experienced by more than 10% of the participants at each of the three interview years. Similarly, the medical complications of spasticity or pain were reported by more than 25% of the participants, and pressure sores were reported by more than 10% at all three time periods. The chief non-medical complications (conditions) were financial concerns and transportation problems. Although these reported medical and non-medical complications present significant obstacles to be overcome, less than three percent of those surveyed at any of the time periods reported experiencing depression; and only 14% rated their quality of life as being poor.
authors.affiliation: Craig Hospital, Englewood, CO 80110, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gerhart
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCray
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Menconi
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Whiteneck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011153:Population; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*